Group to FG: declare national lockdown

The group says the current method of locking down states in batches is not in the interest of the majority of Nigerians as ”those cleared states can be re-infected if other states are not also cleared at the same time.”

“This would lead to prolonged closure of some states thereby hurting the masses of our people who live subsistent lives of daily wages and incomes,” it said in a statement yesterday by its National Policy Adviser, David Esosa Ize-Iyamu.

Ize-Iyamu added: “National shutdown should have been the better way to go to pre-empt the continuing and unabated spread of Coronavirus.

He added: “It is good that the government has regarded financial institutions as part of essential services, but the effect of this policy is yet to be fully seen.

“It is being advised therefore that just as it is done for Nigeria Shippers Council efforts should be intensified to activate and actualize a plan that will keep the banks and the financial services running during the shutdown.

“It is also advised that the government should quickly set up an Emergency Produce Management Board with operations across all the states of the country to take care of the interest of both the buyers and sellers of farm produce at this critical time.

“This would mitigate the destruction of perishable produce and loss to farmers who are mostly poor and indigent people.

“The welfare of the masses must be the primary responsibility of any government.

“As the entire nation deals with this pandemic, let the leaders and government not lose sight of other matters that are still important to the life and living of the masses of the people.”